Police arrive to clear protestors and their vehicles from a blockade at the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, that was sealing off the flow of commercial traffic over the bridge into Canada from Detroit, on February 12, 2022 in Windsor, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Alberta’s minister of municipal affairs was dissatisfied with the responsiveness of federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair during the border blockade at Coutts village last winter, telling him he was “not telling the truth” with regards to the impact the Emergencies Act had on resolving the situation.
“We are all grateful that the RCMP was able to resolve the very dangerous situation at Coutts safely,” Blair told then-Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver in a Feb. 21 text message exchange entered as evidence at the Public Order Emergency Commission.
“What is true is that Coutts was resolved on the 14th. And we got our own tow trucks after you could [not] help,” replied McIver.
McIver complained that the federal response came too late.
“To be clear. Is your point that we should have invoked the Emergencies Act earlier?” asked Blair.
“No. You were too late and did the wrong thing. My point is saying nothing now would have been better than not telling the truth.”
Protesters against COVID-19 restrictions started impeding traffic at the Coutts border crossing on Jan. 29.
They dispersed voluntarily on Feb. 15 after the RCMP seized firearms and arrested several individuals it suspected of wanting to use force against police if they moved in to clear the blockade.
Protesters left to avoid association with this event, organizer Marco Von Huigenbos said at the time.
Towing Equipment
According to the text messages, McIver reached out to Blair on Feb. 7 for help with the issue of heavy towing equipment.
The government of Alberta was seeking the means to remove the trucks and farm equipment at the Coutts blockade and inquired whether the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) had the resources at its Edmonton base.
Blair told McIver on Feb. 8 that he had spoken to Defence Minister Anita Anand and “conveyed the importance and urgency of an answer from CAF. She is speaking to the Chief of Defence Staff this morning and will advise.”
Blair did not follow up, hence McIver sent the chaser “Any update?” on Feb. 10 and wrote to Blair “Still no answer” on Feb. 21, days after the situation had been resolved.
“You may be aware that we invoked the Emergency Act on February 15, which addressed the tow truck issue quite effectively. Happy to answer any questions you may have, although I am sure the RCMP can advise you on how it works,” Blair replied on Feb. 21.
McIver retorted that Alberta received no help until after the Coutts blockade had been resolved.
“And you know that,” said McIver. “Disappointed to hear you say otherwise.”
Blair said he was disappointed with McIver’s reaction to the declaration of emergency. The Alberta government said it was opposed to the use of the Emergencies Act.
“Fortunately the CACP [Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police], the OACP [Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police], the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police [OPP] have been clear and unequivocal that these measures have been essential to their efforts to resolve the criminal blockades and occupations,” wrote Blair.
Testimonies and information which have surfaced so far at the commission examining the invocation of the act, dispute the claim about the stance from the RCMP and the OPP.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki told Liberal ministers on Feb. 13 that not all tools had been exhausted before invoking the act.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique told the commission on Oct. 27 that he agreed with Lucki’s “sentiment” on the matter.
Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell and former senior OPP officer Carson Pardy, who was involved in planning the removal of the protest in Ottawa, told the inquiry protesters would have been cleared without the federal declaration of emergency.
